Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story

||Trent Buckingham || 30 || Hybrid (Fae & Lamia ) || Journalist ||

[trent-buckingham]

SPRING EQUINOX GALA: Trent Buckingham

[lethe-rpg]

Whether you want to admit to it or not everyone knows someone like Trent. Born Trenton Buckingham in New York in 1892 to a Fae mother and Lamia father. His father was manipulative and unfaithful while his mother was volatile and argumentative. It proved to be a combination that was not meant to be long lasting and proved they were the wrong couple to be parents. They were constantly fighting and grew more and more toxic over time eventually pushing Trent into the middle of their drama to the point where all of the bad energy took a toll on his development into an adult, causing irreversible damage . Eventually their pushing and pulling got to the point where Trent came home to find his mother dead and his father missing.  Trent knew exactly what had happened and who had done this. It was as if the light that was in Trent went out that day. Things were always crazy but his mother had been the only solid foundation of love the young hybrid had. Once she was buried Trent walked out and didn’t look back at the life he once knew.

By the time he was legally an adult Trent learned a few tricks from his dysfunctional childhood and used it to climb up the social ladder. He traveled and lived it up in the 1920s with a reckless abandon that was clearly trying to conceal a terrible childhood and horrific memories. He claimed he hung out with the likes of  F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ginevra King, and Ernest Hemingway to learn about writing, but mostly he was around because of the amount of alcohol and sex that living that life provided. As well as  cultivating an ability to develop crushes  on emotionally unavailable people.  A love of writing organically did take shape in the coming years spurned by his own need for knowing everyone’s business. Trent lived for the gossip and the sordid details of others lives and wanting to talk it up like it was better than reality. He fancied himself a sort of Louella Parsons but more well liked by his peers while also sharing the similarity of being connected to a murder or two that he doesn’t particularly like to discuss. It is however one of the things that keep him up at night among the other things he had seen. He hadn’t expected his young life to be so dangerous nor had he realized just how many times he had been made an accomplice or even participant to some sort of sordid crime. He would then be paid off for loyalty purposes as well as to stop the spread of his very gossiping nature

However every party has an end and watching the people you know grow older until they died put a serious wrench in the way Trent had been living. There were times he would try again when the world would be a never ending party but the 1960s and 70s came to a crashing halt and no amount of alcohol or drugs could stop the numbness he felt from a shallow and volatile existence. He needed to get out of city life and go somewhere where he could finally breathe and clear his head. Once again the unexpected happened and he found himself in Lethe but none of his behavior changed despite the change of scenery. For the past 35 years he’s been in an entirely different world from the city life he loved so much. He can’t go out and have the time of his life like he used to so he’s usually drinking by himself. At least he isn’t burying all his friends like he used to. The one thing that has kept him interested is the relative safety of Lethe and the fact that there is always something to gossip about. From arsonists to people appearing with no memories, Trent lives for the drama, so long as it’s not his own. He’s always curious about what will happen next. It has become his life again, writing for the Lethean Times but with cutting some of the drama out  for his official stories. The only thing that could put a damper on his mood is the return of his father who he is more than willing to bury due to what has happened to his mother all those years ago.

[allysonkgirl]

[trent-buckingham]

cordeliasturmer‌:

Delia glanced from him back to the chaos of the streets. “Yeah, I understand the feeling,” she told him. She never had been able to stand being wrong, had always felt the underlying need to be right at all times. “Where are you going? I can help you get out.”

“I already had a pretty shitty year, I’m trying not to tempt fate in 2021 considering the kind of start were off to” Trent replied shaking his head. He was haunted enough but thing’s he had been dealing with the last year and he was nowhere near getting over his mothers death. He believed he wouldn’t fall apart if he ran into her, but didn’t want to run the risk either way. “Just down that way. It’s the fastest path back to my apartment”

[leepace71]

[trent-buckingham]

cordeliasturmer‌:

Date: January 1, 2021

Time: 12:35 AM

Location: Irving Plaza

Status: Open

Cordelia had not wanted to deal with this tonight. All she wanted was one town event to go well but from her short experience so far and what she’d been told, that didn’t feel likely to happen any time soon. This one was the worst.

She tossed herself over a bench and squatted beside someone else that was there for the shelter. “These things don’t seem dangerous, right? Like they can’t cause damage?” Her mind raced over video game references and she almost snorted in amusement because it made her think of her son. They couldn’t risk the assumption. What if they could? The ghosts didn’t seem to only have died in Lethe; what if her mother was here and could harm? Her stomach flipped because she had no idea how to stop her. “Goddamn, I need to retire,” she growled as she put her gun back in its holster, knowing full well it wasn’t going to do anything for her tonight. “Are you alright?” she finally asked the other.

Back when Trent had been more unscrupulous he would have jumped at the chance to cover this whole situation as a story. He in the past didn’t have anyone to worry about haunting him. Now thing’s were wildly different. He hoped to not see the visage of his mother now and was keeping his head down as he tried to be useful during this whole nightmare. “ I’m not an expert on any of this” Trent admitted as someone spoke up in his direction “ I don’t want to say anything unless I become horribly wrong. “ He shrugged. “ Yeah I’m fine. No harm no foul, but I’m trying to get the hell out of here before I see something I don’t want to see”

[hollandershane]

Free Guy | Limited Time Offer

[trent-buckingham]

katherineantrim‌:

Date: November 7th, 2020 Location: Lethean Times main office Time: 9AM Type: open to Lethean Times employees @flamingavery​, @trent-buckingham​ and @christian-yates​

“Now, I’m certain you all have comments or questions that can’t be answered in a quick meeting. That’s to be expected. My door is open and I am at your disposal even if it’s shut. That will be all for now.” Katherine said, standing at her seat at the head of the table. The conference room was full of mixed expressions and people she had never hired herself, but those who remained were not the ones who had caused the messes of late. That was comforting, if nothing else. She smiled at them all, then gestured that they were free to go. It was open knowledge for many years that Katherine owned the newspaper, but until now she had been content to let it be run by others. No longer. Even so, it was a big shift for the employees, so she wasn’t too surprised to see one of them following up on her offer a little while after she settled herself in her new office. “I don’t bite, I promise. What can I help you with? You don’t need to stand in the doorway either, it’s not that kind of newspaper. Take a seat, darling.”

It took a lot for Trent to be intimidated, but after being taken down a peg after losing his mom and trying to keep everything together, it was no longer the case. He tried his best, but it was clear he wasn’t the same man he was a year ago who seemed far more unscrupulous in how he approached a story. Now, it wasn’t the case. He wanted more authenticity and that alone was hard for the young journalist. Maybe, if he at least got off to a good start with the now less mysterious owner, he would find his groove again. Trent relaxed a bit at hearing the read heads comments and scratched the back of his neck, feeling a little ridiculous now for having hovered to begin with. “Sorry about that. It’s an old habit. I’m Trent“ Trent replied walking into the office. “ Just felt weird I didn’t formerly say hello. And to let you know it’s nice to finally meet you. “ He wanted to mention his slight writers block over the past few months, but was worried that would have probably been a bad thing to admit to. 

[trent-buckingham]

mayabrennan‌:

“You could still be a dad or volunteer,” she muttered under her breath. “Who are you interviewing?” Maya asked, though she kept the door open for the man and even stepped aside before he answered, silently inviting him in. “Mack didn’t tell me anything about a journalist, is it she you’re supposed to be interviewing? Let me see if I have something to eat…” She kept the door wide open (he looked harmless! though when had she been wrong before? a lot) and went to go look in the pantry for some oreos or chicken in a biscuit. Maybe a soda, too. 

“Why would you think I was a dad? Do I look like a dad to you?” Trent replied looking down an reconsidering the shirt he was wearing. He usually took a lot of effort into his appearance but after his moms death things started to slip past him. “ Someone named Mel? I can’t be sure.  I didn’t get a lot of information, to be honest “ He added feeling like he had been sent on a a false lead. “ No, Well I don’t think so. “ Trent made a confused face when she opened the door wide and he stayed in the door frame watching as she walked off. “ If I’m completely off I can go. “

[trent-buckingham]

mayabrennan‌:

Date/Time: Saturday October 3, 2020 / Sometime before noon

@trent-buckingham

“Are you a boyscout or something?” she asked when she answered the door. “My sister Mack is I think fixing someone’s plumbing around the corner. If you have something to sell I’m not really interested.” 

“No I’m in my twenties. “ Trent replied making a face. He looked down and had to double check he always looked professional and he still did. So he wasn’t in some nightmare where he was dressed like a boyscout. “Oh well that’s nice. I’m here for an interview. I was the journalist that was supposed to be sent over.”

[sorrysideblog]

[trent-buckingham]

imani-kingston‌:

Date: September 22, 2020 Time: 5:40pm Location: Irving Plaza, Main stage

Imani normally didn’t comply to those who advise her how to do her setlist. However, because this was an all ages event, the Council advised that if she were to perform, then the songs chosen needed to be Top 40 hits. The she-wolf sucked it up, anything for cash and showing face. With the parade commencing, she performed her mix and kept the rest on loop after wanting to take a smoke break. Seeing someone approach her, she faked a smile and pointed at her stage. “If you’re here to request a song, I’m unfortunately on a strict set list that’s been approved by the Council. Can’t play the usual fuck bitches, get money bop y’know?” 

It wasn’t that Trent had been avoidong people and socializing specifically, he was just in a weird place lately. The house had been cleaned out and it was a lot to process knowing he was essentially alone now in town. Aside from a few friends he was mostly just trying to get his footing back. He thought the idea was ridiculous though considering how he had lived in this town almost his whole life. How do you forget normalcy? Still he used work as an excuse to get out and take part in the parade. If it gave a purpose he could fake his way through things for a bit. He walked over to after getting a couple of opinions and interviews about the festivities but stopped when someone spoke to him first. The hybrid gave a half smile before shaking his head at her comment. “Technically I’m here on assignment getting opinions for the paper, but I am curious to ask what you would have picked for a set list, off the record, you know”  Trent smiled before shrugging his shoulders. ‘

[trent-buckingham]

dcmicns‌:

“Oh, you’re paid to think about such things in that way, a different kind of way. Makes sense now,” he smiled. Though part of him wanted to ask about the last few months for this guy, he bit his tongue to not because Damien wasn’t the prying type. “I might as well get on home then, nice to meet you. Sorry for biting your head off earlier. What um, are you a journalist for? Anything I’ve heard of?” he shuffled his feet a little awkwardly, but wanted to hear the rest before seeing Trent off. 

“Basically. I mean I’m paid to do whatever makes the best headlines. Usually what gets the most attention is most beneficial, but lately I don’t know if that’s cutting it. “ Trent admitted. He was basically talking to a stranger and here he was opening up. He bit the inside of his cheek realizing how he clearly didn’t have many people to talk to. “It’s fine. Sorry for being grim For the paper in town. So I assume probably” He chuckled 

[sealotter]

joe keery for gq (x)

[trent-buckingham]

dcmicns‌:

Damien smirked at the taller man. “Who’s the morbid one now?” he asked before the man said his name. “‘Bound to give in’? That’s some faith you have in humanity and technology. Are you an old school, snail mail person, then?” he asked, not knowing that the guy worked for the fucking newspaper. Lethe and its old school ways. Pfft.

“It’s been a shitty couple of months my belief in most thing’s has been waning. “ He replied raising a brow. Trent didn’t want to get into it, but losing family was never easy and he wasnt there yet when it came to discussing it. “ I mean not really. I’m a journalist though so I guess I’m part of a dying art

[trent-buckingham]

dcmicns‌:

Damien stared blankly at the hybrid. He could smell the rancid blood, and he felt guilty for what he’d insinuated in attempt at a joke. “Yeah, the ‘cloud,’ as people say,” he cleared his throat, making his way to the man. “But its all destined to crash and burn sometime.” As he stepped up to Trent, he offered a weak sort of smile, like how they were both glass-half-empty type of people. A kindred soul. “I’m Damien,” he said softly. 

Trent was sort of relieved that the previous comment had been  dropped. He didn’t want to talk about it longer even though he drew attention to the situation. It was just one of those things where it was almost exhausting to be acting the way he had been lately. “ Yeah I kind of hate saying “the cloud” too” He smirked, glancing back at the other guy. “ Yeah well nothing is really made to last something in the foundation is bound to give in at some point” Trent added before holding out his hand. He was a mess lately but he was still a polite one. “ Trent. Nice meeting you”

[trent-buckingham]

dcmicns‌:

“Well then I guess I was hoping you had Alzheimer’s or something, but I guess you’re too young.” Damien wasn’t good at making quips, but he liked showing off his knowledge from a year’s worth of being integrated into society. Therefore his friendly jabs were rather rudimentary. “Mm,” he said quietly, crawling out of the ditch. “Oh. Also, I think pictures can last hundreds of years. Like, we have paper from centuries ago, y’know? I dunno, most people in the world don’t live that long, but I guess in Lethe you’re right about memories lasting longer.” He realized he had spoken too much and his eyes widened. He was turning into his brother. 

“Did you hear yourself right now with what you were wishing on someone dude?” Trent replied raising a brow. There was still humor to his voice despite the black cloud that seemed to be following him everywhere he went lately. “Yeah but only if they’re taken care of. It’s something you have to maintain. Technology wise who knows. It could last forever, or technology might fail us one day?”